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The Korean peninsula is a block of land that sticks out from East Asia. The nation of North Korea sits on the northern half of the peninsula. South Korea covers the southern half. The people of North Korea and South Korea share a long history and a common language. However, the two Koreas have been enemies since the late 1940s. North Korea’s capital is Pyongyang.

The country of North Korea occupies the northern part of the Korean peninsula, which juts out from the Asian mainland in the east. North Korea covers about 55 percent of the peninsula’s land area; South Korea covers the rest. The two Koreas were long united as a single nation, but since the mid-20th century they have been separated and have taken very different paths. While South Korea is a democracy, North Korea follows a communist system of government. Relations between the two countries have generally been hostile. The capital of North Korea is Pyongyang. Area 47,399 square miles (122,762 square kilometers). Population (2013 est.) 24,720,000.